


Practical Joke - Sequel

by casualbouquetcycle



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Amnesia, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:48:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23448049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casualbouquetcycle/pseuds/casualbouquetcycle
Summary: This fic was inspired by Cass’ doujinshi “Practical Joke – Prologue” (https://myreadingmanga.info/cass-durarara-dj-practical-joke-eng/) which sadly ended on a cliff hanger and, as far as everyone knows, never got a sequel. It picks up right where the doujinshi ends so I strongly advice you to read it first or you won't understand what is going on.After Shizuo punched him into the highway, Izaya lost his memories. Now he is afraid of Shizuo. Shizuo does not like it. At. All.
Relationships: Heiwajima Shizuo/Orihara Izaya, Kishitani Shinra & Orihara Izaya, Orihara Izaya & Orihara Kururi & Orihara Mairu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 75





	Practical Joke - Sequel

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn’t get a hold of Cass’ contact data so if anyone knows her or if she sees this and wants it taken down then I will do so.

“Shizuo-san-“

“-chan”

“Excuse me?”

“You always...” Shizuo-san looked up. He still had that desperate look in his eyes. “...called me Shizu-chan. Ever since we meet in high school you called me by that stupid nickname. Don’t start calling me something else now.” He narrowed his eyes as if he looked for traces of that time in his face.

_Why? This person is so contradictory. First he screams and yells about crushing me and us hating each other, looking like he’s seconds away from tearing my limps off or beating me to death with all the public property he so casually tears and waves around with that unnatural strength of his._

_But now? Now he’s looks like... a scared kid. Lost and desperate. Even the grip he has on my shoulders is weak now. I expected it to be painful like his grip on my arm was but now he’s barely even touching me compared to before._

_Why? Shouldn’t he be glad the one he hates so much and the one that supposedly hates him is no longer remembering anything?_

_....I don’t act like that person either or he wouldn’t have looked so shocked when I said it’s no use.... I don’t get it. I don’t understand this person at all, this... Shizu-chan..... I must have said this name often. It seems more familiar than Shizuo-san does...._

“Shizu-chan, shouldn’t you be satisfied? I already told you that there is no way for me to fight someone like Shizu-chan. You said we hate each other, so shouldn’t this make you happy? I certainly won’t bother you anymore.”

_What I wanted?_ “Don’t go putting words in my mouth, flea! What I want-!”

He wanted to grab Izaya’s arm again but he flinched back and protectively covered the place he had touched before with his hand. He looked up at him warily. Shizuo stopped short, unease starting to spread through him. _He said it hurt, didn’t he? I probably bruised it. What am I even doing? I’m making this worse. Happy. That scared face is supposed to make me happy?_

He sighed. “Come on, Izaya-kun. We’re going back inside.” _What do I want? What have I wanted before?_

“And did you recover Izaya’s memories?”

“Shut up Shinra!”

Shinra just laughed. Izaya had already curled himself into his swivel chair with his headphones. “Did you know that the human brain sometimes suppresses memories that are traumatic?” He had a really annoying smirk on his face.

“Traumatic?”

“Oh you know, for example very violent...”

“YOU’RE TELLING ME THAT NOW?!” Out of the corner of his eyes he thought he could see Izaya curl himself up just a bit more. Shizuo cursed himself. Quieter he asked: “Did I make it worse already?”

Shinra shrugged. “He’s still in one piece. Unless you beat someone to death right in front of him I doubt much can faze him.”

Shizuo more fell than sat on the couch. “But he wasn’t scared of me before and now...”

Celty held up her phone. “ _Izaya doesn’t have any memories right now. He was probably really surprised when he saw how strong you are! Maybe he just has to get used to it again? He’s still Izaya after all._ ”

Shinra hummed. “Do you know the nature vs. nurture debate?”

Shizuo frowned. “What’s that suppose to be?”

“Simply put, are good people born good and bad people born bad or are they the way they are because of how they were raised. The question here is, how much of Izaya’s personality is due to everything he has experienced up until now.”

Shizuo rubbed his face. “What’s that even suppose to mean? That it’s only natural if he starts to treat me like the rest of the city is?”

Celty tilted her helmet to the side. “ _How would you feel about that?_ ”

Shizuo frowned at her before looking down. “I don’t know. It’s weird! He’s never been like that! It doesn’t feel normal....” _I’m still not sure what I’m after...but still!_ “It doesn’t make me happy!”

She tipped again for a long time before tabbing his arm.

“ _Right now, Izaya would probably leave you alone, for as long as his memories are missing. But I can’t imagine him as the kind of person who would be satisfied with not remembering. I’m sure, even right now, he’s thinking about clues and how he could get his memories back!_

 _Maybe you should just see it as a vacation of sorts. You can enjoy some peace without Izaya sending gangs or the likes after you and after some time it will be back to normal. And even if he does end up not remembering everything, over time he would surely become used to you again. I can’t imagine him being scared forever or avoiding you. I don’t know him as good as Shinra or you, but I always thought that once he sets his mind to something then he will do it_.”

“Celty is right.” Shinra looked thoughtful for a moment before he smiled.

“Did you know, when I met Orihara-kun he was much like he is now. He mostly kept to himself and preferred reading and watching our classmates instead of actually interacting with them. After I asked him to be my friend and found a biology club with me, though, he went and turned it into a gambling ring! Can you believe that?” Shinra laughed.

“What? How did that happened? But then again, it’s that flea!”

“Maybe he thought it would be a good way to apply those psychology books he read all the time. One day, another student lost a lot of money while gambling and he was really desperate to get it back. You see, he had stolen it from his parents and was scared they would find out. After school only I and Orihara-kun were left in the club room and that’s when that guy came back, pulled a knife on Orihara-kun and threatened him to get his money back. What do you think Orihara-kun did?”

 _What would the flea do? Pull out his knives. Wait, did he even have knives at this point already? Shinra said he kept to himself back then.... Maybe..._ “Did he talk his way out of it?”

“Good guess but no. He insulted him and picked up a chair.”

“He did what?!” The thought of Izaya wielding anything bigger than his beloved switch blades was so surreal he couldn’t help but turn around and stare at him in disbelief. It was probably a good thing Izaya was looking through a notebook and didn’t notice him staring like he had grow a second head.

 _That tiny louse used a_ chair _as a weapon?! I have a hard time picturing that. ....flea heaving a chair over his head...? Like in an anime...? Jumping and then smashing it on his head...?_

“Yeah. He actually got the idea of using blades from that incident.” He faced Shinra again. “Well, he didn’t get to use the chair. See, I wanted to be a hero so my sweet Celty-chan would praise me and got between them before Orihara-kun could so something.” Shinra smiled brightly. “I got stabbed and Celty-chan nursed me the entire time!” Celty hit Shinra with her elbow. “Ow! But Celty-chan you were so wonderful!”

“You got stabbed?! How come I’ve never heard of this?!” _Honestly! Why is Shinra like that?!_

“Ah well, after stabbing me my would be murderer freaked out and ran away yelling he didn’t mean to do it, he wanted to stab Orihara and it was all my fault for going between us.”

“Tch! That piece of shit!”

“Orihara-kun stayed though. I instructed him to close my wound with duct tape before calling an ambulance and then he offered me a deal.”

Shizuo sat up straight at this. _A deal with Izaya?_

“I should lie and say that Orihara-kun stabbed me and in exchange for that he would make that guy pay for the rest of his life and I shouldn’t tell anyone the truth about what happened that day. Well, not like he remembers that now.”

“What?! You, you really agreed to such a deal and let Izaya take the blame?!”

“It was his own wish. I didn’t think it was necessary but I also saw no reason to stop it- Ouch! Celty-chan, please stop it!”

“Some friend you are! What kind of shitty deal was that anyway? He saves your life, takes the blame for everything _and_ goes after the one who really did it! That’s all give! What did he gain with a deal like that?”

“I was the only friend he had.” Shinra rubbed his stomach with a wince. “Maybe he felt guilty or felt like he owed it to me or maybe he was just that grateful someone would defend him.” He shrugged.

“For all that he loves observing humans and talking about what motivates them, he absolutely hates talking about his own feelings. He’s not willing to show even half of that he’s thinking or feeling to others, not even me. But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t understand him at all.” He smiled and tilted his head.

“Shizuo, Orihara-kun is not the kind of person that would just give up. Not without a fight. He just needs the right... motivation sometimes.”

“And with motivation you mean something memorable.”

_Motivation, huh? What could motivate the flea right now? What is important to him? And memorable...._

“.....Shinra, his knives and that stupid coat... where are they?”

“Shizuo-kun, you really won’t give up, huh? Alright! I know some things too!”

Izaya risked a glance at the couch at Shizu-chan’s shout. Shizu-chan winced and continued in a quieter voice. He looked away again.

_Shizu-chan is looking guilty. He didn’t bother with controlling his voice before... is it because I said those things? .....He really isn’t happy with me being afraid of him, huh? Have I really been the kind of person that was unafraid of Shizu-chan...? He said I had giving him that name, that “stupid nickname”_

_.... So he does not like it, right? And I have been calling him that since high school.... I called him that so often that it’s strange for him when I call him something else.... that’s what our talk meant, right? I really must have been unafraid if I dared to call him something he dislikes.... Is that why he seems so familiar? Because I really_ was _fighting with him often...?_

 _But how was I able to fight with someone so strong...? Am I... am I also....? But wouldn’t they have said something about it then? Warned me not to touch things too tightly?_ Izaya looked at the music player in his hand. Carefully he tightened his hold on the player but it didn’t seem like the plastic was going to give.

_Not strength then... Speed...? That seems logical but right now I cannot test that. I don’t want to run around in the flat and going out alone when I have no memories might not be the best idea either.... if I picked a fight with a monster like Shizu-chan then there’s no telling with who else I might have picked a fight with..._

_Shinra is my doctor as far as I got it.... Should I ask him about it? .....Why am I even so fixed on Shizu-chan...? Was he....really that important to me? Hah! I’m behaving just like Shizu-chan is now.... He too is really fixed on me even though he says we hate each other...._

_Will I get my memories back with Shizu-chan...? Since he was so important could he be the key to it...? But, I forgot how strong he is... it was really damn terrifying a monster like him exists... shouldn’t that have caused a flash back already...? Maybe I was too shocked and scared? ...Or maybe that’s not even how it works..._

He clenched his fists. _I want them back, no I need them back! I hate this blankness! Not knowing the people around me or even myself! I need to know who I am!_

Izaya began to open the drawers in the desk pulling out everything inside. _A calendar, some note pads and pencils, charging cables, some mobile phones but without a battery or card and.... is that a knife? What are they called...? A flick knife?_

He picked up the calendar and flicked through it but there wasn’t much in it, just some names. _Shiki, Kine, Mairu and Kururi? Who are those people? Mairu and Kururi.... first names and girls? ....There was something familiar but.... I don’t know.... who could they be? Friends? Family?_

_Speaking of which there are no pictures on the desk and Shinra didn’t contact anyone either, right? Are my parents dead? Do we not get along?_

_....Are there pictures in my wallet or on my phone, maybe? But Shinra said something about me being in the information business. An informant._ _Wouldn’t it be risky to have pictures with me in case I loose them?_

_On the computer? There has to be one right? But...... pictures on the computer, isn’t that also risky? Computers can be hacked, it’s not as safe as simply having them on an stick or a card or printed out and locked or hidden away somewhere.... Maybe I don’t have any? At least not in this room? Maybe the bedroom...._

Putting the calendar aside, he carefully picked up the switch blade. The last thing he needed right now was accidently cutting or stabbing himself. Turning it around, he inspected it. It felt.... familiar... like it fit his hand perfectly. _Same as with Shizu-chan and those names...._

He weighted it in his hand. _I feel the weight but it’s not too heavy, rather comfortable... so my body is used to handling it._ He flicked it open, watching how the light reflected on the blade, turning it, even making a little swing through the air.

_This is how I fought Shizu-chan, I’m sure of it. I can’t remember anything but this knife is still far too familiar, I can handle it far too well. I must have used it a lot, maybe even since high school? Shizu-chan said that we hated each other since then._

Suddenly he sat up straight, eyes wide in realisation. _....No, wait. He said I gave him that nickname in high school. He didn’t say that we hated each other since back then. Did I just assume it or.... did I actually remember something? What exactly did he say? “The Shizu-chan you hate so much is right here.”_

 _That’s what he said after I told him it’s no use even if I do remember. He never said we have always hated each other. So why did I...?_ Absentmindedly he began to play with the knife in his hand. _... It seemed natural. It just seemed natural that we have always been ‘that’ way._

_Not everything is gone then! There are some things that I just seem to know! But then why did I react like that back then? What is different? .... I felt stressed back then and now I’m comfortable. Stress is bad for the mind, right? Shinra also said something about the mindset...._

_Could it maybe mean that I didn’t used to feel stressed when I fought Shizu-chan?_ Izaya twirled the blade between his fingers. _I was comfortable fighting with Shizu-chan then. I really was not scared of him then._

_Shizu-chan liked it. He liked I wasn’t afraid of him. That’s why he was so devastated. Shizu-chan is surprisingly soft. If Shizu-chan can stay ‘soft’ for long enough so I won’t get stressed out again then it might even be advantageous for me to be around him since fighting him seems to have been a rather big part of my memories._

He smirked. _I will get them back. Definitely._ He stopped the twirling and looked at the knife. _Right, so how do I close this again?_

“Oh look, Orihara-kun already found a knife!”

“Huh?!” Izaya held a switch knife and switched it open and close, looking at it like he tried to figure out how the mechanism worked. _Oh he really did. Now that I look at it, he didn’t just have a notebook, he emptied the entire desk. Celty and Shinra were right. He isn’t satisfied with not remembering._

Izaya looked up and took his headphones off. “Shinra, do you know me well?”

“Of course! We’re friends since middle school, Orihara-kun!”

“Then, do you know who Mairu and Kururi might be? They seem familiar but I can’t place them.”

Shizuo felt as if a truck hit him. _He forgot them. He forgot his sisters. I knew he lost his memories but I don’t think I really realised what that meant! If I think about forgetting Kasuka...._ Before Shinra could answer he blurted out: “Little sisters! They... are your little sisters.”

Izaya looked at him with wide eyes. “So, I’m an older brother... How old are they?”

“They are teenagers, going to high school, twins actually, uh...”

“They are fifteen!” Shinra said cheerfully. “I know where you stashed your photos, I’ll go get them!”

“Thank you.” 

_I think this is the first I ever heard Izaya say thank you.... or maybe he thanks Shinra more...._ “Shizu-chan?” Celty jolted at that. “You don’t happen to know where they are right now or if they live here or something like that...?”

“Ah no, sorry. I see them sometimes in Ikebukuro, so I think they live there.... they are really energetic! My little brother is an actor and they are big fans and sometimes ask if I can get them an autograph or something like that...” He self-consciously he rubbed the back of his head. _To think that one day I would tell Izaya about his own sisters...._

Celty began to furiously tip on her phone before walking over to the desk to show it to Izaya, Shizuo also coming over to read what she wrote. _“I remember something! Some time ago you wanted to know if I could drive them to an event with Kasuka! I think it was an anime con because Kasuka is going to be in anime movie as a voice actor! In the end you told me they wanted to take the train instead. Such cons take up about a week, I think, and I’m pretty sure it was about be this week!”_

“Ah that’s good. Nobody has to explain to them that I forgot them yet. They would be disappointed I’m sure....” He smiled at them but he also looked guilty. “Thank you _.” Don’t thank me when I made you forget them in the first place. I didn’t even think of the twins. Whatever I wanted it wasn’t this!_

Celty showed him her phone again. _“You called Shizuo ‘Shizu-chan’, so do you remember anything?”_

“That was my idea actually.” Celty nearly dropped her phone. Shizuo winced. _It is probably shocking for her._ “It was just so strange to be called ‘Shizuo-san’ and I’m used to Shizu-chan so...”

“Actually, there’s something.” Shizuo wiped his head around to face Izaya. He tried not to feel too hopeful. “I can’t remember anything specific but I feel like we have always been like that, haven’t we? We have always been fighting.”

He felt himself smile. “Yeah, since the first time we met, we have always been like that.”

“Found them!” Shinra had come back and triumphantly held up a carton box. “Come over to the couch so we can sort through them!”

“So this is Mairu and this is Kururi!” Shinra handed him a photo with two girls, twins, just like Shizu-chan had said, and pointed at each. They looked like they were maybe six or seven and wore hoodies with a cat printed on them, Mairu’s in red and Kururi’s in blue. They were smiling. Kururi was missing a tooth. “It’s from when they were in elementary!”

 _Those are my sisters. Those are my little sisters._ _How is it even possible to- to feel affection and pride for somebody you can’t even remember? But they seem so familiar..._

“And this is a newer one.” They were definitely older in this picture, looking like teenagers. Mairu was wearing glasses now.

“Glasses?”

“She started wearing them in middle school, I think. You need to wear some too, by the way. When you’re reading or working on the computer for a long period, though I have no idea if you actually ever used any.”

“Huh I see...” Izaya traced their faces on the picture. “Our eyes look similar...” _The same shade.... I can’t remember- “Izaya-nii!” “Nii...”_ “Mairu.... Mairu is always talking and Kururi is quiet...” His eyes started to burn.

He looked up at Shinra. “Our... our parents...?” He ignored how his voice was a little shaky.

Shinra looked at him a bit strangely. “Ah well, they are working overseas and come home maybe once or twice a year...? Truth be told, you did most of the raising when it comes to the twins. They are, however sending over money and pay for the rent for the twins’ flat.”

“....I see.” He clenched his fists. _What are they doing putting children in the world and then not even raising them themselves?!_

“Ah Shinra, don’t you have some photos of when we went to high school?”

Izaya turned around. While he and Shinra sat opposed to the TV, Shizu-chan and Celty had opted to sit opposed to the desk saying once Izaya regained his memories he probably wouldn’t feel comfortable if he remembered them seeing his photos. Celty didn’t have an expression but Shizu-chan looked like he was ...scared?

“Yes, yes there are a few. Didn’t you want to look for his coat and the rest of his knives?”

“Ah yes, right. I’ll go look for them now!” Shizu-chan stood quickly and then went up the stairs, looking incredibly relieved for some reason.

Questioningly he looked at Shinra. “What...?”

“You have lots of knives that you use and a coat that you are practically always wearing. They are almost trademark signs of you. We were hoping they would jog your memories a bit. And even if they don’t, you really did love that coat.”

He showed him another photo. “Now, look at this. This is from our high school years!” There were four teenagers on it that seemed to sit on the roof of a school. “Look, there’s you and me and that’s Shizuo, of course, and that guy is Dota-chin.”

He took the group picture from Shinra and looked at the unknown teenager.

“Dota-chin?” He had brown hair, wore a black jacket that looked like the ones from the middle school uniforms and was looking up from a magazine. Shinra was the only one actively smiling in the camera sitting between him and Shizu-chan, while he had a pudding in his hand smirking at Shizu-chan and Shizu-chan had a bento-box on his lap and was glaring at him. This Dota-chin was sitting next to Shizu-chan.

Shinra shrugged. “You gave him that nickname. It annoyed him a bit and that just encouraged you more to use it. His actual name is Kadota Kyouhei.”

Izaya raised an eyebrow. “I seemed to like annoying people.”

Shinra laughed. “You’re not one to avoid a fight or one that will just take others being assholes to you, so yes you liked it. That was Shizuo’s pudding, by the way. You stole it to annoy him.”

He couldn’t help but snort. “No wonder Shizu-chan was so freaked out. It seems like I completely changed my personality.”

“Not completely.” Shinra smiled. “If you feel well enough to laugh about it I can assure you, you will be back to normal sooner or later. Does anything about this photo seem familiar to you yet?”

“Dota-chin seems more familiar then Kadota I’d say.”

Shizuo had never been gladder to get out of a room. Originally he had wanted to stay and see if Izaya remembered anything from the pictures but it had been bad enough to see him being afraid of him, he didn’t need to see him cry on top of that.

 _He didn’t really cry but he tore up when he remembered something about them and that had been more than enough. There are things I don’t want to see. Ever. How would I even go about comforting him?_ Looking at the doors he opened the first one and found the bedroom. Like the whole apartment, it was big with a large window and a huge bed with dark grey bed sheets.

Looking around he found the wardrobe and opened it. Inside were Izaya’s typical coat, as well as a similar, longer coat and a black trench coat without fur. He took out the flea’s favourite coat and began searching the pockets for his equally beloved switch knives. _He really loves those coats huh? Skinny flea like him probably gets cold easily..._

_Let’s see... Here’s one and two and three, no wait that’s a phone... and another phone and in this pocket four, five and another phone? The knives I get, he’s always throwing them around after all... and I guess I bite through a few of them too, but phones? Why does he need three phones? Oh and an inside pocket with.... not a phone or knife but his wallet._

_Shinra must have put it in there so it won’t get lost after treating him. His clients contact him with those phones, right? Is it dangerous if they can’t contact him or he doesn’t get back at them? ...I will ask Shinra about it. Are there any more? I wonder if he has a huge stash of knives in here somewhere or just buys new ones when he only has one left......_

_Five knives should be enough. I think I will just leave everything in the coat. It’ll be too much of a hazel to balance them all downstairs... not to mention, if those phones fall down they’ll probably get broken._ Closing the wardrobe again, he took the coat and left the room.

He could hear Shinra talking. “You didn’t run though. I told you to wrap me up with duke tape, you called an ambulance and basically promised to make Nakura’s life a living hell as long as I told everyone you had stabbed me.” _So he’s telling him about this. To think Izaya could be loyal like this..._ “See, thanks to you I only have this and am not dead!” _This?_ Walking over to the rail he looked down and saw that Shinra had lifted up his shirt. _A scar...?_

Izaya leaned forward and reached out but then stopped himself before he could touch it. “Because of me?”

“Yep! Only alive because of you so even if you might get memories you don’t like, that one should be worth it, don’t you think?”

“...Shinra, didn’t you keep on saying you wanted your girlfriend to think you’re a hero...?”

“Ah! You remember that?”

“Not the exact words but... definitely something about your girlfriend and getting praised or something like that....”

 _So it could help triggering his memories...._ He rubbed his chest. _I have something like this too. Would it help with his memories if I showed it to him...? I don’t think it can cause any harm so really it can only improve the probability of him remembering, right? Maybe in some days we could take him to Raira and if he isn’t scared then I could try to show it to him...._

He walked down the stairs and sat down on the couch again. Shinra had put his shirt down again but Izaya still looked thoughtful.

“Shinra, I wanted to ask you: what about his clients? If they can’t contact him or he doesn’t get back to them...”

“Oh, don’t worry! Namie, that’s your secretary, promised to inform everyone that you are temporary unavailable out of medical reasons. I called her after it became clear you lost your memories. It’s not the first time this has happened. Once you were out of commission because you got stabbed and nearly bled to death.”

“He did WHAT?! Why don’t I know about this?!”

“I don’t know. I think it was even on the news... After all, not everyday somebody gets stabbed in the middle of a street in a crowd.”

Shizuo and Izaya stared wide eyed at Shinra. “Why? Did I ever tell you who did it?”

Shinra hummed thoughtfully. “I think it was some occult science cult? At least that’s what it sounded like.” He shrugged. “Officially, all those guys were CEOs and you caused a lot of them, if not all, to become bankrupt. You don’t tell me all that much about what you do. That was already a lot.”

Izaya shook his head in disbelief. “This city is crazy. If this was a movie plot the audience would have filled the internet with angry reviews already.”

“Once you regain your memories you might want to think about hiring a bodyguard.” Shizuo pulled out his cigarettes and lit one before take a long drag. _Seriously, being around the flea is stressful even when he’s not doing anything!_ “Here’s your coat, by the way.”

Izaya took it from him and slowly inspected it. “It’s really soft.” He ran his fingers over the fur. “I can believe it’s my favourite.”

“I left everything in your pockets. There was too much stuff in it.”

“Hmm.” Izaya patted the pockets and emptied them. “Why do I have three phones?”

“Probably because of your job! One of them has to be your private phone. Say, why don’t you check out Raijin? It’s been renovated and called Raira now but it still looks the same as it did when we went to school.”

Izaya looked up from the three phones. “Yeah, sounds like a good idea. You know the address?”

Celty tipped on her phone. _“It’s fine! I can take you there. It’s in Ikebukuro, so it’s not far either!”_

“Thank you!”

“My Celty-chan is such an angel, isn’t she? So generous and-“

A phone began to ring. They looked at the phones spread on the table. They didn’t light up. “Oh I think that’s mine!” Shinra took out his phone. “Hello, Kishitani here. .....I see. I’m on my way.” He hung up and stood up. “Looks like I have an emergency patient. I hate to trouble you, Celty-chan, but I need you to drive me.”

Celty stood up as well and hastily tipped on her phone. _“We need to go now but you can send me a message when you want me to drive you! You have my contact in your phone!”_

“Yes. Thank you again for everything.”

Removing his cigarette, he waved at them. “Bye, Celty. Bye, Shinra. I think I will stay for a bit longer.” _Now that I think about it, didn’t Izaya call me some time ago? I think I still have his number in my phone._ He took his phone out while Izaya followed Shinra and Celty to the door. He could hear them while he searched his caller list.

“Good bye. Have a safe trip.”

“Sure! And call me if you notice anything strange, headache, nausea or something like that.”

“I will! Bye Shinra!” He heard him closing the door after them and returning to the couch.

Shizuo glanced up at him.

“I’m looking for your number. You called me and I think I haven’t deleted it yet... Ah, found it!”

Izaya leaned forward. “So, if I’m lucky I know which one’s my personal phone. You know, for someone who hates me you sure are nice to me, Shizu-chan.”

“Tch! The faster you get back to normal the better, flea!” He took another drag. _That’s better than you being scared. Or feeling responsible for you forgetting the twins._ He hit the call button. After a moment, one of the phones started to ring and the ID announced the caller as “Shizu-chan”. “That should be it.” He ended the call.

Izaya picked up the phone. “Unbelievable. I really called you nothing but Shizu-chan. And I like cats.”

“Really?” Curious, he crushed his cigarette in the ash tray and leaned closer to look at Izaya’s background. It was the photo of a black cat with yellow eyes sitting on the pavement and looking up into the camera.

 _Did he take that picture himself? One of the strays in Ikebukuro, maybe? Is he the kind of guy that would take the time to play with them?_ _I can’t imagine that but then again I never would have thought his background would be a cat either... Maybe he really does like to play and cuddle with cats. How strange that I don’t know that. But, I also didn’t know he raised his sisters... I know so little about him but he probably knew everything about me. As an informant there’s no way he didn’t...._

“It looks cute.”

“Shizu-chan also likes cats?”

“I like cats and dogs. My flat’s too small for one though and I don’t earn so much money.” He shrugged. “Might not be good to keep one anyway.”

Izaya tilted his head, pulled his legs up the couch and resting his arm on the back of the couch he turned his body towards Shizuo.

“What is your job?”

“Right, you forgot that too. I work as a bodyguard for a debt collector. Tom-san was my senpai in middle school.” Nodding towards the phone he asked: “You found Celty’s number yet?”

“Let’s see. Yes, there’s Celty, Kururi, Mairu, Namie, Shinra, Shizu-chan and Simon? Do you know a Simon?”

“Simon and Denis own “Russian Sushi”. Simon always stopped us from fighting whenever he saw us and then made us eat sushi together. It’s your favourite place for getting otoro.”

He hummed. “Otoro sounds pretty good actually and if I even have his number on my personal phone then talking with Simon would be a good idea, I think. Do you know if they make deliveries?”

Shizuo got an idea. “No, but we can go and order something to go. Come on, you know where your key is right?”

Izaya wondered if it was suppose to feel strange to stand in the train next to Shizu-chan and to go get take out together.

_When he’s not shouting about killing me, Shizu-chan is surprisingly good company. Or is that because I have no memories of him? Not easy to start a fight with someone when you can’t even remember them or doing little more than following them around. It’s not like I would find my way without Google maps or someone to show me right now. I don’t like this dependence. If nothing else, I hope I start remembering the streets again soon._

“Flea, are you feeling sick?” _Hm?_ He looked up at Shizu-chan. He was frowning down at him. “You’re clenching your jaw.”

“No, I’m not feeling sick, I’m just annoyed. Not that I’m not grateful that you are helping me, it’s very nice of you to take the time to go to Russian Sushi with me! But, I’m annoyed I can’t even get around on my own. If I want to buy groceries I wouldn’t even know where the next supermarket is without googling it and even after that I wouldn’t know how to get there without the internet or someone to show me the way. I just don’t like that.”

Shizu-chan looked thoughtful. “You never seemed like a person who’d enjoy being dependent. But you know you’re a pretty smart guy, Izaya-kun. Even if you don’t remember soon, you can just memorise the streets again. You were pretty good at stuff like that in high school.” He was quiet for a moment.

“Sorry.”

“Shizu-chan?”

“Of course your head is not just for decoration. If you could control getting your memories back again, you would remember already. It was- it was unfair.”

He blinked at that. _After everything, I almost forgot he said that. Sometimes it seems like my amnesia is harder on Shizu-chan than it is on me. Our relationship really must have been special._

“Apology accepted. If you do me a little favour when we get back.”

Shizu-chan looked suspiciously at him. “What kind of favour?”

“Before you leave, help me figure out how I heat my apartment?”

“What?” Shizu-chan stared at him like he had grown a second head. He just shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s still chilly. I like my coat. It’s warm and comfortable and it’s familiar too, but I don’t want to have to wear it all the time. Since I sadly can’t remember with what and how I heat my apartment I could use some help.”

Shizu-chan still looked at him in disbelief though he started to chuckle. “I always suspected you get cold easily. Yeah I’ll help look for whatever you keep yourself warm with.”

The rest of the way to Russian Sushi was filled with comfortable silence, except for when Izaya asked something about the shops or buildings he saw. It was late afternoon and the streets were filled with people returning from work.

They didn’t meet anyone that knew him and Izaya was unsure if that was good or bad. On the one hand meeting familiar people could help with his memories; on the other he still didn’t know with how many people he was enemies with. When they arrived at Russian Sushi they were greeted by a tall black man in white blue clothes waving at them with a smile.

“Shizuo! Izaya! Getting along today! That’s good! Come eat sushi together! I will give you discount!”

“Shizu-chan is that Simon?” _He seems like a nice person. He’s really happy we’re not fighting._

“Yes, that’s Simon. Hello Simon. We’re just taking take out.”

“Hmm? Izaya, you ill? You don’t recognise me?” He looked down at him worriedly.

“I’m very sorry, Simon-san. Unfortunately, I can’t recognise anyone right now.” He smiled apologetic. _For some reason I feel bad._

“Uh, I kind of sent him flying into the highway and now he can’t remember anything.” Awkwardly, Shizu-chan rubbed his head.

“Shizuo! Fighting isn’t good!” _Now I get it. We’re being scolded like little children. Somehow that’s familiar._

After Simon had ushered them into the restaurant, they sat at the counter waiting for their orders. Simon smiled at them. “No worries. Sushi is good for memories. You’ll remember in no time.”

He couldn’t help but smile back. “Thank you Simon-san. Say, did I really fight with Shizu-chan and you stopped us?”

“Yes! Fighting is bad so it’s good you get along now.”

“But how did I ever manage to fight Shizu-chan?”

“You’re fast and you know how to use those knives, flea. Point in case, I rarely ever managed to hit you.” Shizu-chan was smoking a cigarette again and looked rather unhappy. “You really weren’t scared of me before.”

Simon looked from one to the other. “Izaya, you unhappy around Shizuo?”

“It’s not every day you see someone lift a vending machine like a carton box or tear out traffic barriers.”

“But I do that too?”

“Be that as it may, you didn’t greet me by yelling about beating me to death and killing me with public property.”

“Yes, yes I get it!” By now Shizu-chan was chewing on his cigarette.

Simon put the take out boxes on the counter. “Now, now. No fighting, be gentle and” Simon carefully put his hand on Izaya’s head and patted it. “take care of your head.” _Ah this isn’t bad. Simon-san feels rather comforting._

“Hey Simon-san. Give Shizu-chan one too. It’ll cheer him up.”

“What?!” Shizu-chan looked indignant.

“Good, good!” Simon smiled and patted Shizu-chan’s head too. “You take care too, Shizuo!” Shizu-chan looked equal parts embarrassed and happy.

Back at Izaya’s home Izaya and Shizuo ate their take out on the couch. Shizuo watched Izaya hum happily as he ate his otoro.

 _He looks contend right now._ _The flea is certainly more comfortable now than he was when he first saw me after Shinra released him. He’s starting to snark again too. But he’s still not himself again. There are still moments when he’s wary. I think being around Simon gave him more confidence.... If I got angry he would have stopped me, was probably what he was thinking..._

“Izaya-kun, did you remember something?”

“Not really. But, Simon... he felt familiar... For some reason I knew he’s a nice person, even though I can’t remember him.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Really? Many are scared of him when they first meet him... or maybe they are overwhelmed?” Frowning he chewed on a tamago.

“Well, one thing’s for sure: I don’t need memories to know this is the best otoro in town!”

Shizuo snorted. “I’m glad you’re having fun. ....You asked Simon about our fights. Do you think your memories would get a kick if I told you about them?”

The flea looked thoughtful as he ate his last piece. “I think so. Right now, I only have a few theories but nothing concrete.”

He nodded. “Okay. So... well, you’re really fast and always jumping around like a flea. Uh it’s called parkour. You’re annoyingly good at it. You have no problems climbing buildings and jumping over rooftops.”

Izaya tilted his head to the side. “And then you call me a flea? That sounds more like a rabbit or squirrel.” _The flea? As a rabbit? Like, a bunny? Or squirrel? No way._ He pulled a face.

“Absolutely not! Rabbits and squirrels are cute!”

The flea just started to laugh. “Really? _That’s_ why you call me a flea? Shizu-chan is such a protozoan!”

Shizuo nearly dropped the sushi box. _What. Wait. What?!_ “Say that again.”

He stopped laughing and frowned at him. “Shizu-chan?”

“Say it again! What you just said!” He could barely contain himself and nearly fell off the couch leaning over to Izaya.

Izaya blinked at him in confusion. “Protozoan? Why are you grinning like that?”

 _I am? I didn’t even notice but he remembered!_ “It’s your favourite insult!”

“Oh!” His eyes widened in realisation. “I wasn’t even thinking about it when I used it....”

“Doesn’t matter! You’re memories are still there somewhere! They are just buried!” He really couldn’t keep his excitement under control. _He will remember! He will remember! And then he won’t be scared of me again! ...Wait once he remembers, will he remember why I threw him into the highway?_

“Shizu-chan?”

He looked at Izaya. _When did I look away?_ He looked wary again. _Ah shit. I don’t know what kind of face I’m making right now but it’s freaking him out._

Awkwardly coughing he slid back into his seat. “Sorry. Uh, I remembered something....”

“Shinra said there might be some memories I might not like.....” He frowned again. “I still want to know. Even if there’re some things I might not like now, I can’t do something about it when I can’t even remember.”

“Do something?” _What does he mean? You can’t change the past._

“For example.... Shinra said I stole your pudding in high school. If I had lost my memories back then, then I wouldn’t even have known why you were angry with me and even if I would have wanted to, I couldn’t have given your pudding back or gotten you a new one.”

He looked serious. “Right now I don’t even know what kind of relationships I have with the people around me or what they are based on. I don’t know with whom I was friends with or with whom I was enemies with. Most people aren’t satisfied with just a ‘Sorry, I lost my memories, I don’t know what happened’.

When you tried to treat me like you did before, it didn’t end well and I couldn’t even do something about it because I had no idea who you even were. If you want to improve your situation you need to know what your situation even is and how you can improve it. You need knowledge. You need information.”

 _Oh. That’s the information broker. Even after loosing his memories information are still important to him._ “You’re still the same.”

“I suppose I’m an information broker for a reason.” He smiled. “Well then, should we start searching for my heating system?”

“I bet you have an underground heating system.”

Izaya stared at him. “Don’t tell me I’m a billionaire and nobody said anything.”

“You’re not! ....I think...? Actually, I don’t know, but your apartment is huge and your clients pay you well, I’d say. Most of them are shady and shady people pay well.”

“Can’t disagree with that logic.” Izaya huffed and walked to the door. “I’ll look if there’s a control system around here somewhere, could you check upstairs, Shizu-chan?”

“Sure.”

 _I don’t think I saw something when I went up this afternoon though.... Maybe the box looks like the wall? That’s something he’d like I think... But I better not put a hole through his walls._ Letting his eyes wander over the wall he patted at the plates but none of them opened.

Then he saw a door in the corner of the book case and walked over but then realised that it was not a storage room but lead to the stairs. _Huh. He must have bought two apartments and then had them be turned into one big one._

_Or maybe the previous owner did and the flea was the only one filthy rich enough to afford it. He probably liked the thought of having a second escape option if he ever needed one._

Turning around he wanted to check the bed room next, when he suddenly saw a door handle. It was a rather low and smooth and not very big, easily to overlook. Hoping to find a storage room maybe in there, he pulled it open.

 _Ah, it’s really a storage room. But no box or controls...._ _Ah! Isn’t that...?_

“Hey flea! I think I found a kotatsu heater!”

“Really? That’s great! Because I only found the fuse box!” He turned to the railing and looked down. Izaya came from the hallway and looked up to him. “Is that a storage room?”

“Yeah. There’s no table in there though.”

“How about a carpet?”

“Carpet?” He looked into the room again. _There’s one!_ “Yeah.“ He looked over the rail again and blinked. Izaya was kneeling on the floor and looked under the table in front of the couch by the window.

“I found the kotatsu.” He stood up again and walked towards the stairs. “I’ll take those. Can you get the blanket from my bedroom?”

“Yeah, sure.” Taking the carpet out, he went over to the stairs and handed them over to Izaya.

“Thank you, Shizu-chan!” He smiled up at him.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll get the blanket.”

When he came down with the blanket Izaya had already put the table top down, placed the table on the carpet in front of the big couch where the glass metal table had stood and was plugging the kotatsu in.

“Your blanket.” Izaya looked up and took it from him.

“Thanks.” He placed it over the kotatsu and then put the table top over it again. “Well, this looks good. Let’s try it out!”

“Huh?” Before Shizuo could say more Izaya was already busy trying to cover as much of his body as possible under the kotatsu. “You mean me too?”

Izaya looked at him in confusion. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to but you like kotatsus too, right?”

 _Kotatsus are pretty nice and that blanket looked good too.... And when did I sit down?!_ “...I suppose I can stay for a few more minutes...”

Izaya grinned. “Don’t look so pleased with yourself!”

“But Shizu-chan, why shouldn’t I look pleased? I’m sitting at a very nice kotatsu right now~”

He huffed. “Did you text Celty already?” Izaya waved with his phone.

“I’m doing it right now. The earlier I visit our former school the better. I’m asking her if she can take me there tomorrow.” Just a moment later Izaya’s phone made a ping. “She writes that she can take me in the morning.” _Tomorrow morning... I don’t have work tomorrow... maybe we can go around Ikebukuro? There are a few places... but we always got there by parkour..._

“Hey, Izaya-kun, would you like to try parkour tomorrow?”

“Ehhh? Is Shizu-chan trying to kill me again?”

“No! But you held your knives, wore your coat, got otoro... now only parkour is missing...”

“Well, as long as Shizu-chan calls an ambulance if I fall from a building...”

“You won’t fall. You didn’t cut off your fingers either.”

“Your faith in me is amazing.”

Shizuo wasn’t sure what woke him up at first but then he felt movement against his side.

 _Huh? A cat? But I don’t have a cat.... Did I leave my window open?_ He looked down and in the dim light he was greeted by the sight of Izaya nuzzled tightly against his side. _Oh. Not a cat. It’s a bug. A cuddle bug. Wait. What?!_

He sat up straight and stared wide eyed at the other man. _What the fuck? I fell asleep? And the flea just cuddled up to me?!_

Izaya made a displeased noise and tried to move closer to him again.

_Don’t tell me he’s under a kotatsu and still feels cold... It’s not even cold in here. It’s warm! Even my face is warm! That leach._

He rubbed his eyes. _Ah damn. I didn’t plan to stay this long... How late is it, anyway?_ He searched for his phone and the display read 22:36. _The trains are still driving. If I leave now I could get home before midnight._

Groaning he pulled himself from under the kotatsu already wanting to go back again. _I want one too. But I don’t really get cold so I don’t need one... But I want one. Ah damn it._ He shook Izaya’s shoulder. “Hey, Izaya-kun. Wake up, you leach, and relocate to your bed. You can’t sleep on the floor.”

More displeased noises followed before Izaya sleepily blinked up at him. “Huh? Shizu-chan? You’re still here?” His speech was a bit slurred.

“Yeah but I’m going now and you get yourself out of there and go to bed.”

Izaya hummed. “Yeah I will.” He rubbed his eyes. “Good night, Shizu-chan. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, night.”

After leaving the apartment, Shizuo couldn’t help but think back to the way Izaya had looked like he would just turn around and fall asleep again.

_Ahh, I hope he really went to bed and didn’t just fall asleep again. ...It wasn’t cute. The way he tried to leach more warmth off of me was not cute. It was nothing like a cute cat at all. And it was not nice how he wasn’t scared of me and actually came close to me. And cuddled up to me. Not nice at all. It. Was. Not!_

_.....Fuck. I guess it was a good thing he was still half asleep and how it was dark so he couldn’t see my face. Once he remembers he’d turn it around as if_ I _cuddled up to_ him _! ....Or would he get shy...?_

He thought back to this morning. When Izaya had taken his face in his hands and....

_No way! That flea isn’t shy! If anything he’d say I’m his heater or something like that....Why did he do that anyway? Kissing me like that... It must have been a prank, right? Everything he does is to mess with me..... Right?_

_...What was it he said?_ ‘ _If you want to improve your situation you need to know what your situation even is and how you can improve it_.’ _I don’t know and right now he doesn’t either. Until he remembers, there’s no use thinking about what-ifs and maybes. I hope he remembers soon._

In the end it’s the small things that make up the most of a person’s memories.

Celty’s silent presence.

The familiar tipping on her phone.

Her shadows and shooter.

The sight of Raijin.

“When I first saw you, you were trashing the entire field, weren’t you?”

“Not just the field.”

“I think I remember.... I was really impressed.”

“Wait, seriously?”

The feeling of his switch blades, their weight so familiar and comfortable as if he had spent his entire life using them.

Feeling them leave his hands and watch them bury themselves in their targets with deadly precision.

The scar on Shinra’s stomach.

His never ending chattering and praising of his future would be wife, aka Celty.

His teasing and sarcasm and even his asshole tendencies.

The familiar weight of his coat, dropped over his shoulders and keeping him warm.

The feeling of the fur, soft and comforting.

“Hello Dota-chin!”

“Out of everything, did you have to remember that nickname?”

“Hey there, Izaya! Is that Shizuo?! Are you and Shizuo on a date?!”

“How could I ever forget you Erika-chan?”

“See? I told you, you wouldn’t need an ambulance!” They were standing on the roof of an office building. The people below them were so small they looked like ants.

“I can’t believe it. We actually got up. But, I have to admit, the view is amazing.” He could see almost all of Ikebukuro from up here. _Amazing... they look so small... I like it up here... If only to get such a view, parkour is worth it... Okay, parkour wasn’t so bad. It was actually really fun. I just don’t want to imagine how we get down again. Later... I can worry about that later._

“Told you, you’re good at jumping around. You’re not helpless.” Izaya looked at Shizu-chan. He also looked down at the people below them. “You know, even managed to give me a scar.”

“I gave Shizu-chan a scar? Oh, with my knives, right?”

“Yeah.” He turned to him and watched him for a moment. Then he unbuttoned his vest and the first buttons on his shirt. There was a faint scar on his chest. _I, I remember that! I know where that comes from!_ “That’s from-“

“When we first met, right?” He walked forward without even realising it. Standing in front of Shizu-chan he reached out and lightly traced the scar with a finger. “You said: ‘You piss me off.’ and I answered: ‘That’s a shame. We could have fun together.’ and then you tried to punch me.” He smiled.

“....Even I don’t remember it that well anymore....” Izaya looked up. Shizu-chan watched him with wide eyes. “It was really important to you, wasn’t it?”

Izaya smiled. “To you as well, right?”

“Mairu.... Kururi...”

“Izaya-nii?!” “Nii?!” Alarmed they ran up to him and grabbed his coat. He hugged them tight.

“Izaya-nii, why are you crying?!” “Nii... dying?!”

“No, I’m not. I just forgot something important.”

“Hello, Simon! Otoro to go please!”

“Izaya! Head better now?”

“Good enough to say, getting to eat otoro again for the first time was worth it.”

“Izaya-san! I heard from Celty what happened! How are you?”

“Hey there Mikado! How nice of you to ask. Feeling much better!”

“That’s wonderful!”

“Why did Shizu-chan even throw me into the highway?”

“You pulled a stupid prank. I think.”

“Oh? What sort of prank?”

Shizuo leaned forward, cupped Izaya cheek and then pressed a short kiss against his lips. _I’m not going to think about it. I’m not going to think about it. I’m not-_

“Shizu-chan, I did that because I wanted to. Or do you think just anyone would get to have a kiss from me?” He smirked up at him. “Now, come down and give me a proper kiss.”


End file.
